Agree with most of this. Thought wire defensive was extremely committed and when they gave any penalties we were not composed enough to stretch them. 2 points of concern to me. 1) last tackle kick options were pretty poor and 2) hardaker looks to me like he is kicking hard at the ball rather than through it. agree he does not look like a natural goal kicker.

You did the double over us last year in league and yet ....agree with sir kev kicking we would have won but it's a long year.

Yes it did look a bit threadbare. Are there plans to sow some plastic seeds? But at least it's in better nick than the training one which wasn't glued down well enough or has shrunk or something.

It was under about 6 ft of filthy River Aire for a couple of days last month, wasn't it? I'm guessing the actual grass pitches down there were also affected. They've still got that pitch at Meanwood/Weetwood which hasn't been used for a couple of decades. The posts (now rusty and laid flat on the deck) are still there. Needs plenty of weeding done though along with removal of dog mess

Sinfield brings more than just his conversions, huge loss, looked rudderless tonight, like the season we lost Briers.

If McGuire is going to be out for a period I fear that his true worth will be so evident that even those who stubbornly remain oblivious will have to acknowledge it.

Oh, and to use a tired - yet valid - cliche, we (particularly the forwards) missed a proper hooker.

The biggest disappointment for me was we were repeatedly camped out on their line but didn't seem to have any idea how to get over. It was like we were playing thirteen stand offs, the ball was just thrown from one side of the pitch to the other with no line runners to put any doubt in Warrington's mind.

Singleton and Garbutt brought some much needed aggression and Lilley shone as both a hooker and a half. Moon also played well and was my MOTM.

I agree re: Lilley he looks the real deal - I know Sutcliffe was injured and he hasn't played at this level for a long time but he looked well out of his depth and his inability to catch a sublime offload was costly.

I disagree re: the first half - the problem for me was we didn't capitalise on the pressure we built in the first half in the second. The game was lost when Burrow decided to put the brakes on when he saw Currie coming towards him and two shocking attempts at kicks from Hardaker. If he is the best kicker in the club we really have some issues.

On a positive I thought Ablett was much improved on last season, Ferres fitted in well, Galloway looked like he had come to play and Child could have been a whole lot worse.

Leeds were comfortable last night, dominated possession and field position.

Leeds weren't panicking when 6-0 down. The first 20 minutes of 2nd half they upped the speed on play all round, a lot of credit has to go to Lilley for that. for me where they slipped up was not finding the killer punch when they were leading 10-6. if we could have pushed 2 scores clear that would have been enough.

1st game in, always expected a tough arm wrestle. Leeds were edged out, plenty more to come. nothing to worry about from a 1st hit out.

I thought Leeds competed well in a game in which the pressure was arguably more on Warrington and their big-money signings after yet another season of massive underachievement. No complaints from me. It is going to take time for some individuals to feel their way into new roles - particularly relating to leadership on-field and kicking responsibilities. On top of that there have been a lot of personnel changes, and it will take time for the team to gel - the same can be said of Warrington who were far from perfect despite picking up the two points (had Leeds been in their position I'm sure someone would have reminded us that we cannot always rely on a kicker having an off-day).

I don't think a lot was on for either side, and it is far too early to criticise our halves for a lack of creativity - Sutcliffe's only just come back from a long spell injured, and McGuire wasn't on long enough. For me, the lack of on-field leadership was the biggest deficiency, and that will be sorted out with time. Looking forward to seeing Falloon, not to mention Stevie Ward coming back. Someone like JJB would have made a big difference in the leadership side of things.

Nice for the team to have things to work on at this stage of the season - no danger of them falling for the hype of the all-conquering treble champions this way.

couldn't watch the game last night, just watched it back now and thought the performance was pretty good on the whole.I think we deserved the result but Warrington were very good in defence and took their chances when they came, the few which we gave them.Expect them to go much better this year.Thought Ferres fitted in nicely for us, Galloway got through some nice work and lilley did well when he came on.Can't really find much to criticise to be honest, just couldn't get the right side of a tight game but signs are good imo.

disappointing for Mcguire hopefully not too serious.

That performance would generally win you 95% of your games, you completely dominated possession, just need 2 things, a better kicker and a true leader.

By the same token I can see the Wolves playing much better (dropping less ball in your 20 metre area for instance) but still losing against a side with better/slicker attacking ideas & execution.

as if you're blaming him for that

The brakes that Burrow put on were quite shocking really. Normally he is so fearless and backs his pace...and he would def have made it to the line if he [uhad[/u backed his pace. (and won us the game). Hardaker needs to put in more practice...and be made to step aside if there is a better goalkicker on the field (Lilley).
The more I see of Lilley the more I like what I see: the kid seems to have it all with the maturity well beyond his tender years to boss players around. For me he deserves a starting slot in the halves against Widnes alongside McGuire (if fit of course). Sutcliffe if not. ... Burrow on the bench assuming Faloon is fit.

Are you suggesting it wasn't his fault?

There is a thread blaming the goal kicking for the loss. Why would Sutcliffe bombing a certain try with poor ball retention not also be a blame? Why would Moon running back inside with people outside bombing another try not be blameable? why would Burrow coming to a stop when a try looked on to the corner with support there not be blameable?

You get four points for a try, you get two for a conversion.

On another day Sutcliffe would have scored; and Moon would have made a better decision.....as for Burrow....go figure.

Love Burrow and his efforts/guile/bodacity, as a rule, can never be questioned even if he does tend to run up his own ass at times.....but.....sorry......can't get over this 'bombing' of a given try. He just had to keep motoring.

Burrow was going to be tackled. The warrington player had the angle and the speed. Burrow isn't a 16 stone forward/back that can fend the defender off those last few metres.

If he continued his route he was about to be tackled, the support player out on the right wasn't really on because there was another warrington defender blocking that line. So burrow could either continue and be tackled, or cut back and have a chance of wrong footing the defender. He took the option that gave him the only chance in that situation of scoring.

Burrow has 15 years game time in the memory bank. His brain was able to quickly judge based on his speed and the angle of the defender he was about to be tackled. It was instinct. To avoid being tackled his angle would have had divert so that he was just running straight toward the touchline rather than the try line. I think people are so used to seeing those little legs drive away from defenders to the try line they just expected to see him whizz in at the corner.

But it wasn't on.

He bombed nothing.

But two conversions are the same as a try

Currie for such a big lad is very very quick and smart beyond his years.

The only way Burrow may have scored looking back is heading for the corner, even then he may have been chased down.

He had no support, that was the main problem, it DM had still been on the field he would have been on his coattails.

Spot on summary.

Those in doubt who maybe waiting for their Specsaver appointment should get close to the screen and look at the highlights on the Rhinos website for proof.

IMO Moon did not bomb a try either. Nothing on outside and he beat several men as he cut inside to create a better chance.

Hardaker missed four points with two very kickable chances.

Sutcliffe did bomb 4 points (would have been 6 if Lilley had been kicking) but I put that down to rustiness not a lack of skill as he was just off the pace in his support run. Great work from Cuthbertson by the way.

Rubbish! No matter how you try to make long elaborate excuses, all Burrow had to do was keep motoring for the corner...he would have made it in IMO, but even if he hadn't he could not be criticised for that.

I'm not sure people would be quite so generous if it had been Achurch in those same shoes !!!! Burrow 'chickened out' ...he can be forgiven to more degree than the likes of a player who has given far less to the team over the years....but he did 'chciken out'

Cuthbertson's offload and Sutcliffe's support run didn't connect perfectly which resulted in the ball being spilled. The support runner will often pull that in but last night was one occasion when he didn't and that happens also.

I agree with those who didn't think Burrow would have held off Currie (Currie and Evans IMO where very good defensively in the centres for Warrington - Watkins easily contained) Warrington's desire on defence was top rate. The one where Penny spilled the kick return (Sutcliffe forcing the error) yet they prevented Briscoe getting near the line from Ferres' quality one handed offload was particularly noteworthy.

Who are you, Stevo? Burrow was never, ever getting over, Currie was eating up the ground on him - Burrow has great acceleration but he's bn nowhere near as quick as Currie at full pace. In retrospect taking the tackle and getting a quick play the ball (or penalty) might have been the better option but I can understand why he checked to look for support.